If the national economy shrank at an annual rate of 6% per year for 3 consecutive years, then the economy shrank by 18% over the three year period. the economy shrank by what per6 over the three year period?

Using an exponential function, it is found that the economy shrank by 16.94% over the three year period.

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The equation for a decaying exponential amount is given by:

In which:

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0.1694*100% = 16.94%.

The economy shrank by 16.94% over the three year period.

A similar problem is given at link

You want to find x such that

... 1 - x = (1 - 6%)³

... x = 1 - (0.94)³ = 1 - 0.830584 = 0.169416

... x ≈ 16.9%

The economy shrank by about 16.9% over the three-year period.

yes

step-by-step explanation:

let x and 400 - x be the two numbers.  

==> 0.80x + 0.85(400 - x) = 400 - 68 from the statement of the problem.  

< ==> 0.80x + 0.85(400 - x) = 400 - 68  

==> 340 - 0.05x = 332  

< ==> -0.05x = -8 ==> x = 160, the first number ==> 400 - x = 240, the second number.